Month: April 2016

HoneyBook | 5 reasons I love it

When I started photographing back in 2010, my number one goal was to produce quality work. Back then things had to be simple, primarily because most of the amazing tools we have today were non-existent. A lot has changed since those early years and I have grown so much since then. Nowadays, producing quality work is a given so my number one goal now is to provide an incredible experience from start to finish.

With the increase in business, I knew I needed to make some practical changes soon. If I didn’t, it wouldn’t be long before I wouldn’t be able to give a consistent client experience. Up until a few weeks ago, I still used paper contracts and my payment format was by check. I would file all the paperwork away in folders for each client and then keep them in a filing rack. But this is the digital age I knew there had to be a better and smarter way of doing this!

Last Fall, I first heard about HoneyBook from one of my favorite photographers, Natalie of Natalie Franke Photography. I was interested so I contacted HoneyBook and booked a demonstration to see how everything worked! I loved the program but wasn’t ready to commit just yet. I continued to do my research to make sure I chose what was right for me. But HoneyBook continued to stay in the lead. I liked that this system allowed me to electronically send contracts to my clients and that they could sign them online! But by far the biggest selling point was how their pricing was structured!

A few weeks ago, I finally decided it was the right time to make the investment! So I called HoneyBook and went through a quick demo to hear about the new features added since the last demo. I was especially excited when I heard about some of their new features like the option to do a bank transfer for only a 1.5% transaction fee!! Since I started the transition to Honeybook I have booked two weddings and the booking process has been so seamless! I love how efficient this system is and how easy it is for me to keep up with the entire booking process! Honeybook has impressed me in so many ways. I am excited to share with you 5 reasons why I love HoneyBook!

Customer Service
Honeybook has first class service and takes care of their clients extraordinarily well! Their help desk is always available to answer any questions. If I ever have a question, I receive feedback almost immediately! From, “How do I send a proposal?” to “How do I create a brochure?” they are always available to answer any questions you may have! Also, right after I signed up, they asked me for my current contracts, questionnaires and pricing guides so they could set it up for me!! By the next day, I had all of my packages, contracts, and questionnaires set up and ready to be sent out to clients! How amazing is that?!

It’s Completely Customizable
With HoneyBook, you can brand everything on the site so your clients see your logo and photos. Not only is it customizable but it’s personable, appealing and matches the style you want to present to your clients. The site is also simple and easy to use for both clients and business owners!

Accept Payments Online
This was such a huge game changer! It wasn’t horrible asking my clients to mail me checks, but in this day in age, it wasn’t the most convenient process. The ability to make a bank transfer through the site for only a 1.5% processing fee was the selling point for me! Credit card processing fees are around 3% so having the bank transfer option instead is awesome!!

See the Big Picture
When you open HoneyBook the first page you will see is called the “Pipeline”. It’s like a birds eye view of your business! Here you can physically see how HoneyBook keeps track of where your clients are at in the booking process. It’s like a personal assistant. You can track the status of all your projects in one place. Whether it’s an inquiry, a follow-up or a proposal; with one click you can tell whether or not you’re on track. I also love that you are able to see how many bookings you have and what payments are coming up so you can track your monthly expenses and make sure that it matches up with what is coming in, etc. Honeybook has a reports feature that allows you to track analytics, including your booking percentage, your success rate, and the value of all your events combined all the way down to monthly reports! They also have a feature that allows you to set up email reminders that go out automatically to your clients so you don’t have to keep track of when payments are due! And you can even create personalized email templates right in the software so that you don’t have to rewrite that same email again and again!! I LOVE that!!

One-time Fee
That’s right, HoneyBook offers a lifetime membership for a one-time fee. When I first started thinking about making the switch I wanted something that didn’t have monthly fees. Honeybook offers a lifetime membership for a one-time fee of $500 with the ability to receive all future updates without having to pay anything additional. Plus when I found out they offer 20% off for Two Bright Lights members, I was sold!! $400 for a lifetime membership! Such an incredible deal!

Honeybook has been a tremendous game changer for my business so far! So excited to see where it will help take my business in the coming years. 5-star service and an amazing program all for a lifetime membership, to me, equals an incredible value! I can’t recommend them enough!! If you are looking for a client management program HoneyBook is definitely worth looking at!

A Cinderella-Inspired Fairytale Wedding in Palm Beach, Florida

Every once in a while in the middle of an ordinary life, love gives us a fairytale.

-Anonymous

On Saturday, April 16th, Carrie and Matt, said, “I do”, surrounded by family and friends at the United Methodist Church of the Palm Beaches in West Palm Beach, Florida. Every aspect of their wedding day hinted at a cherished childhood fairytale story, Cinderella. This Cinderella-inspired fairytale wedding had many simple and personal touches that made this day a beautiful representation of the love Carrie and Matt share.

Carrie incorporated many details that brought the magical fairytale story to life. Details like, Cinderella’s glass slippers, a “Once upon a time” storybook, a fairytale princess tiara and the perfect Prince Charming to complete her fairytale wedding. Shades of blue and purple added a bright pop of color to her bouquet. But by far the most magical detail was the radiating joy and love that was overflowing from the couple on their big day!

During the ceremony, Carrie and Matt read each other the most beautiful personalized vows and then took a few moments to do a foot washing. Their ceremony was so personal and special in so many ways. After the ceremony, their families met at Renato’s on Worth Avenue in Palm Beach, Florida for an intimate lunch reception. After the reception, my second shooter/husband, Andrew, and I strolled the streets of Worth Avenue with the bride and groom capturing romantic lifestyle wedding portraits. This diverse street gave us numerous portrait locations to capture elegant wedding portraits.

From Matt and Carrie’s, Fairytale Engagement portrait shoot to Carrie’s elegant Tea Party Bridal Shower every pre-wedding celebration has been magical. I am so honored to share their wedding with you today! I hope you enjoy their love story below! I also hope you will share in their celebration by commenting and congratulating them at the end of this post! Thank you, enjoy!

Once upon a time, there was a girl who had always dreamt of her fairytale wedding but more importantly, her prince charming. Little did she know, that the love story she had always hoped for would one day turn into a real-life fairytale.

I have had the pleasure of knowing both Carrie and Matt for nearly 20 years! Carrie and I met at church when we were about 4 years old. We stayed close friend all throughout middle school, high school and college. Carrie was one of the bridesmaids in my wedding and has been a true friend throughout our friendship.

Matt and I met in the 2nd grade. Matt was always very shy and quiet but both of our moms were the “classroom moms” and so we had that popularity status in common. Growing up, Matt also attended the same church Carrie and I attended, however, these future love birds never officially met because Matt kept to himself.

Throughout high school, I invited Matt to our youth group but it wasn’t until a few years later, once we were all in college, that Matt decided to finally hang out with us. During that night at our college group Matt and Carrie officially met for the first time. They were both 18, had never been in a relationship before and neither one of them had any idea what was in store for them.

One night we all went out bowling and I remember seeing Carrie and Matt together and thinking they would be so cute together! So, of course, I had to tell Carrie what I just thought of! She chuckled and replied, “Nahhh!” But I knew something would bloom there! Carrie had the outgoing personality to uncover Matt’s funny side, they were both raised in the church with similar backgrounds and they were both blonde and blue eyed! So, of course, they would be perfect together! 😉

A few weeks later, they ran into each other at the gym and then started exercising together. Shortly after, Matt admitted that he wasn’t there to exercise; he wanted to spend time with her. They began hanging out and a friendship bloomed into a relationship. During their relationship, they have taken the Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace course to get out of debt and have been baptized together. Some of their favorite moments have been during their many trips to Disney and when they visited Colorado to be a part of a TV show!

On November 15th, 2015; Matt Wynn asked Carrie to be his wife. He had secretly contacted their church and arranged a plan to get Carrie on stage. Matt told her the pastor wanted them to talk to the congregation about both of their jobs and how they differed from one another. He was very persistent that she agree to go on stage, which made her pretty curious due to the fact that he normally would hate to be in the limelight. Carrie rehearsed her lines many times so she wouldn’t mess up. When Sunday came around, they were welcomed on stage and said their lines as rehearsed but after, when she thought they were finished, the Pastor turned to Carrie and said, “Now, we did not have you both come on stage this morning to talk about your jobs, or about being on TV. I believe Matt has something he wants to ask you.” Matt turned to her and got down on one knee as he began pouring his heart out to Carrie. She immediately threw her hands over her mouth in shock as she realized what was happening. Then he asked the big question, “Carrie, will you marry me?” She nodded her head and exclaimed, “YES!”, 0.5 seconds later! She was completely overjoyed!

Their story began in 2010, and after almost 6-years of being together, they have truly demonstrated what a faithful, God-honoring relationship looks like. Through many trials and difficult times they both supported not only each other but also each other’s families. I know God brought them together for many reasons and I cannot wait to see what else He has in store for them!

Carrie and Matt, I am beyond excited for you both! It was such an honor to document your big day and to stand by you as you step into your “Happily Ever After”. May God continue to richly bless your lives for many years to come!

What’s in my Bag?

People often ask me what camera gear I use, so I thought I would dedicate a blog post to the topic. Today, on the blog, I am so excited to be sharing some information for photographers about my favorite camera gear to photograph my clients with!

I primarily shoot with the Canon 5D Mark III, with a Canon 7D as my backup camera! I also have four trusty lenses that I shoot everything with, and are my go to lenses on wedding days and for engagement sessions! I will also be sharing some of my favorite camera accessories!

Because the Canon 5D Mark III has two Memory card slots (one for a CompactFlash card and one for an SD card) I like to record to both slots so I have a backup. God forbid if I ever have a corrupted card I have a backup in the other slot! 🙂

Palm Beach Bridal Style Inspiration

“Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.”

-Coco Chanel

It’s the biggest season of your life. Moments that with be documented & remembered forever. Having a style that represents you in this season can be hard. Stylist & fashion blogger Frilancy Makungu brings together four great looks that will have you ready for all of the pre-wedding & post-wedding festivities. Frilancy brings together some bridal style inspiration perfect for your engagement party, bridal shower, engagement portrait shoot, rehearsal dinner and even your honeymoon! This shoot features the backdrop of the Palm Beach island primarily on Worth Avenue and then on the beach!

Frilancy is a Seattle-based stylist and fashion blogger of Fri’s Closet. Her style is sophisticated, modest and a bit flirty. Growing up she would have competitions with her friend as to in who could dress up and accessorize their outfit with the best statement pieces etc. In high school is when things started to change. It was then that she began to take on fashion challenges or better yet it was when she turned those academic hallways into her own imaginary project runway. She saw that season of her life as an opportunity to express herself creatively, to figure out and communicate who she was as a young woman. She soon began to realize she could see in her head how something would look on someone before she had even completed a look. Fast forward years later and she still wakes up every day with a deep seeded passion for fashion. She has immersed herself in the quality, luxury, and integrity of clothing. Constantly creating new styles and bringing out her client’s personality in each piece.

Frilancy models these four fabulous looks herself, alongside her boyfriend Michael Hoyle, who models an equally impressive look for grooms. Michael and Frilancy met under unusual circumstances. They were both two hearts carousing the world for excitement and ended up at the same establishment on the same night. A bowling alley. She was out with some friends and family when she noticed a new group of distinguished men occupying the booth next to theirs. Little did she know that she would end up meeting the love of her life shortly after.

As soon as Michael walked through the door he noticed her. He said he had never seen anyone so vibrant in his entire life. When she noticed his eyes were on her and they made direct eye contact he started to blush as he was caught. However, he made a B-line towards her with the utmost confidence hoping she would even give him a “hello”. He boldly told her she had to be the most incredibly attractive woman I have even laid eyes on and would be honored to take her out. She was quite shocked and completely caught off guard. He then proceeded to give her his number and told her he was looking forward to her response. Michael and Frilancy are such an adorable couple and had Andrew and I laughing the entire time!

Michael and Frilancy thank you so much for choosing us to capture your epic style and your vacation memories while visiting sunny South Florida! It was a pleasure collaborating with you both on this Palm Beach bridal style inspiration shoot!

Look 4:

An Intimate Jupiter Beach Wedding

Beneath a dreamy cloudy sky, in front of a teal seashore and surrounded by the ones they love, they pledged their forevers to each other. Ana and Doug said their “I do’s” on a beautiful Saturday morning on April 2nd, 2016 at the Carlin Park in Jupiter, Florida. Their wedding day was a whimsical scene of Spring touches and tropical feels. With many of the details hand crafted by the bride and groom themselves, this wedding was a unique reflection of their adorable love. Ana and Doug met at work over five years ago and it was love at first sight. After being together for 5 years they decided it was time to tie the knot.

Ana and Doug, thank you so much for allowing Andrew and I the pleasure of capturing your wedding day! May you have many more beautiful years together!

Stunning ceremony decorations by Superior Party Rentals.The cute little ones! Ana has three sons and she had them all walk her down the isle. Her youngest son walked her the first third of the way. Then her middle son and her oldest son walked her another third of the way. Doug’s parents (right photo) were so sweet as they watched their son say his vows.You may kiss the bride!Look at those cuties! They are Ana’s grandchildren! Hand-made bouquets by the bride herself!The gorgeous ladies!Precious moments with her grandchildren.The stunning bride and the handsome groom. Love her dress!Isn’t she stunning!?The gorgeous couple!My favorite shot!

College Senior Beach Portraits in Jupiter, Florida

On Sunday, April 3rd, I had the pleasure of capturing Kacey and Lauren’s Jupiter senior portraits. Our shoot began at a coastal park called, DuBois Park. This breathtaking, sea-side park overlooks the Jupiter lighthouse and is framed by the Jupiter inlet and the Loxahatchee River. After we captured some casual shots at the park we then worked our way towards Jupiter beach for some more formal photos.

Kacey and Lauren are best friends. The kind of friends that always do everything together. They work together, live together, attend college together and now in a few short weeks, they will be graduating from Palm Beach Atlantic University together! So naturally they had to have their senior portraits done together!

I met Lauren and Kacey years ago when we all worked at Chick-fil-A together! When I had this dynamic duo as a part of my shift I knew it would be a good one! I have missed working with them so much!

Lauren and Kacey, thank you so much for allowing me the pleasure of capturing your beautiful friendship during this special season of your lives! I am so proud of you both! May God continue to richly bless both of your lives!

One of my favorite shots! And the giggles and laughter begins…

I do love a classic black and white image!So stunning right!?They were so brave! The little kids were climbing the rocks so they did too! And then we got a boat going by in the background at the perfect time! You know I was in my happy place! 😉Stunning Kacey!The lovely Lauren!Oh, just some birds flying over the ocean…Okay, another favorite shot! Love the joy and happiness written all over her face!Love this one of Lauren!Best friends forever…

Joyful Palm Beach Family Photos

On Friday, April 1st, I had the pleasure of capturing the joyful Mallare family in Palm Beach, Florida. It was a beautiful day; a cool breeze, fluffy clouds, and a stunning ocean view. It was the perfect backdrop for this lifestyle family photo shoot. They even brought their adorable pup, Jeter! Hope you enjoy this Palm Beach family portrait session!

Credits:

Our 3-year anniversary vacation to Waco, Texas

Back in February, I was talking to one of my best friends, Emily, who moved to Waco, Texas last August after she married that man of her dreams, Caleb. Emily and I go all the way back to pre-school and she was my maid of honor for my wedding! During our conversation, we were chatting about when would be a good time to visit and Easter weekend seemed to be perfect weekend. I looked at flights and was floored when I found some American Airlines flights for just $100! Within a few hours, we booked our flight and began planning our trip to WACO!! Easter weekend was also around our wedding anniversary so Andrew and I decided this would be a great anniversary trip! We had such a great time and I thought I would share some of the highlights that made this such a special trip!

We arrived late Thursday night, so Friday we started our first day in Waco. After breakfast, we went to an amazing Good Friday service at Caleb and Emily’s church. Afterward, we had lunch at the most amazing taco spot called Torchy’s. Their tacos and queso dip were so good that we ended up going a second time while we were there!! After lunch, we went to Magnolia Market! Magnolia’s was so amazing, even better than I imagined. On Saturday, we started the day with some incredible coffee from Common Grounds! Afterward, we had brunch at Cafe Cappuccino. Fluffy pancakes and breakfast tacos filled our bellies for our day of exploring and sightseeing. While exploring we visited Lake Waco and walked atop its dam. We found fields of Bluebonnets and saw a few amazing views of Waco. Later that evening, we had dinner at Chuy’s Mexican restaurant. The restaurant has a really interesting funky style. One of the rooms in the restaurant has an entire roof filled with shiny new car hubcaps! The best part about the place is the free unlimited chips, salsa, and creamy jalapeno dip! They just kept it coming and it was just so yummy! We finished the night playing a few rounds of Spades back at the house while watching Father of the Bride (love that movie!). Sunday started with a wonderful Easter Sunday service! Then we had a restful day at the house playing more cards and watching Father of the Bride 2! 🙂 Monday, was the day of our departure, but we could not leave before visiting Magnolia House and indulging ourselves at Torchy’s one more time! 😉

Magnolia Market!!“Today is a good day for a good day.”I just loved EVERYTHING!!My favorite display! Feels like Spring!We had to do a quick stop by Harp Design Co.!Torchy’s!!! The best iced tea, tacos, and QUESO!! They were so excited to see us… or maybe it was just Torchy’s… 😉

The best queso EVER!! After we went to Magnolia Market Emily and I had some girl time and did a little shopping. We stopped by this cute shop called Spice! Then we went to this cute shop called the Findery!The next morning (Saturday) we started the day by visiting Common Grounds coffee shop! This was one of my must go spots and it didn’t disappoint! Not only is it an amazing looking spot but the coffee is even more amazing! I had the “Caballero ” with their dark roast! It has their secret sauce and cream! It was a hot creamy delight! So so yummy!! Isn’t this place just so cool!?Deliciousness!! Even their drive-thru is the coolest!! Right, next door is the new Heritage Creamery ice cream shop! Their flavors are so unique and AMAZING!! So cute right!?Check out their flavors! Duck fat caramel, strawberry balsamic and my favorite, honey lavender orange! So yummy!LOVE the style of this place!Brunch at Cafe Cappuccino! Then we went exploring…Then we found Bluebonnets and I took way too many photos! I was in heaven!Meet Lucy, Caleb and Emily’s pup. She had lots of fun too!The view of the Waco lake from the top of the dam. The view from the opposite side of the lake. More flowers because they are just too pretty not to…This one’s for you mom! 😉Tired Lucy with daddy. On our way to another cool spot!Loved all the driftwood! Lucy had even more fun here because she could get wet!Playing catch!Everything is just so beautiful!! Then it was time for dinner at this yummy spot!Easter Sunday!Sunday cards… Spades! This picture says a lot… I was going nil (with a perfect nil hand) and Emily was freaking out a bit! 😉Caleb made homemade chocolate mousse with fresh raspberries! Emily and Caleb taught us a new game called “Hand and Foot” and we loved it! Emily and I totally beat the guys! 😉Then we went to go see a Waco sunset.On the last day, we visited McGregor where the Magnolia House is!The cutest little house!!Then it was time to say goodbye, but this is not goodbye just see you later.